Blaine and Marijuana

The Mail

NO WRITER ATTRIBUTED
January 21, 1965

To the Editors of the CRIMSON:

Dr. Blaine's letter of Jan. 14. in the light of his quoted remarks in the CRIMSON of Jan. 5, is rather puzzling. On one hand, he states that marijuana "isn't harmful, and there's no evidence to show it's even as addictful as cigarettes;" on the other hand he agrees with the attitude of the law enforcement agencies to do "Everything that can be done to discourage the use" of this harmless substance.

That he should take this matter very seriously is understandable, but only in the light of the fact that marijuana smoking is now illegal. Surely the frequent jailing and academic blackballing of young people for the use of marijuana itself could ever do.

A man of Blaine's stature, were he to state his views less equivocally, could help greatly in creating a climate of opinion that would lead to changing of the law. Knowledgeable people honestly concerned with the welfare of students should speak out clearly to correct the public misconceptions which are causing the present situation. This would be more constructive and more honest than for everyone to continue pretending to believe in the official myth that pot is bad. R.J. Solomonoff